This invention relates to bulk containers and more particularly to a container of the type including a pallet, a sleeve supported on the pallet, and a bulk receptacle positioned within the sleeve and resting on the pallet.
Bulk containers are in common usage and typically include a bottle, formed for example of blow molded polyethylene; a protective sleeve or cage, formed for example of stretched steel wires assembled by welding; and a pallet on which the cage and bottle are supported. The pallet may be formed of wood, plastic or metal. Whereas these bulk containers are in common usage and have been generally satisfactory, there are disadvantages associated with each of the several types of pallets utilized to support the cage and bottle. For example, the wooden pallets are heavy, easily damaged, and require large amounts of storage space. The metal pallets are heavy and quite expensive. The plastic pallets are either unable to handle the extremely heavy loading generated by the liquids in the bottle or, if reinforced to an extent where they can handle the loading, are extremely heavy and expensive.